Visit with Karen Chilton

www.ghostgirlsbooks.com

Today we're visiting with Karen Chilton, author of the GHOST GIRLS BOOKS. Book one, THE HAUNTING ON DEVIL'S DEN ROAD, was released by Snug Harbor Press in October 2008. Book two, THE GHOST AT WIDOWER'S POND, was just released in October 2009. And book three is scheduled to be released on Halloween 2010!



I would like to begin by saying a great big “THANK YOU” to Jennifer Wardrip and TeensReadToo.com. It is an honor to be your guest blogger today.

Also, thank you to all the readers whose enthusiasm for my stories keeps me going. I am very fortunate to do work I love every day, and I appreciate all your support and encouragement.

Please keep the emails coming. I love your comments, questions and suggestions. I still answer all my email personally, so if you don’t hear back from me right away, don’t worry – I won’t forget you! For those who don’t have it, my email address is karen@ghostgirlsbooks.com. You can also reach me through the contact form on my web site, www.ghostgirlsbooks.com.

And now, my answers to your questions…

Enjoy!

-Karen Chilton



Paige Parker is adjusting to life in Heather Hollow. She's O.K. with the ghost-girl roommate, the Hounds of Hell, and the vampire buried around the corner. What's really scary? The mean girls at Heather Hollow High. Queen bee Heather Duffy is using all her nastiest tricks to make the new girl in town feel very unwelcome. Meanwhile, Heather's parents and Duffy Development have big plans for their little town: a brand-new upscale housing subdivision on lands rumored to be a Native American burial ground. Is it a coincidence that a ghost begins making an appearance, gliding across the surface of a local pond?

As Paige investigates, she finds more questions than answers. Why does a Hound of Hell seem to be her new running buddy? Is the librarian, Myrtle Thyme, really a harmless little old lady, or is she something else altogether? And what is that vegetarian stuff her mother keeps making for dinner? With the help of her wisecracking best friend Amelia and her super-cute new buddy Gabe, Paige tries to solve the mounting mysteries. She uncovers secrets at every turn, some darker than others. With just days to go until her fourteenth birthday, Paige finds herself in a place where the government waged an unthinkable war against children. Will Paige Parker live long enough to blow out the candles on her birthday cake?

I hope you enjoy my question-and-answer session with Ms. Chilton!

1) If you could bring any character from one of your books to life, who would it be and why?

Mehitable Sloane from my second book, THE GHOST AT WIDOWER'S POND. She’s a scrappy feminist from a time when such a personality could get a girl into even more trouble than it could today. I think she and I would get along famously.

2) Your own six-word memoir:

The good stuff is never-ending.

3) You have the chance to spend the day with any character from one of your favorite books. Who would you choose and why?

Holden Caulfield from THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger. I know I related to his teen angst when I was a teen myself. I’d like to see what we have in common now.

4) What was your favorite book growing up as a teen?

As a young teen it would have been THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE by C.S. Lewis. As an older teen, THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger. (Hmmm… It would seem I am a fan of writers who go by initials. J.K. Rowling is a fave in recent years.)

5) When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer! That worked out nicely…

6) Your favorite subject in high school – and your least favorite.

My favorite subject was English – just the literature, not the grammar. My grammar was always pretty good, I just couldn’t keep all those rules straight. Dangling participle? Misplaced modifier? Huh??? My least favorite subject was math. In fact, my official author bio even says so!

7) The one book everyone in the world should read:

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK. Anne Frank was an excellent writer, and not just for her age. She was also this wonderful, vivacious personality. She was so perceptive, and she walked the line between being hopeful and realistic. The idea that she was lost so horribly and senselessly still haunts me – and she was only one of so many, not just during the Holocaust, but throughout history. We human beings really must work on how we treat one another.

8) The book you wish you had written:

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman. What brilliance! I couldn’t put it down, and I cried like a baby at the end.

9) Your five favorite reads from 2009:

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman
OUTLIERS by Malcolm Gladwell
GEEK CHARMING by Robin Palmer
THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett
THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE by Kate DiCamillo

10) If your mom wrote the profile for the jacket of your next book, what would she write?

“Oh, Katherine’s books are so amazing! I don’t know why they haven’t made a movie of them yet. What’s that? Oh right, Karen’s books. That’s what I meant. Anyway, I think every teen should read what Kylie writes. I mean, what Karen writes. Golly, it’s tough keeping all these kids straight, especially since my girls are all so smart! Did you ever read the story Kristen wrote her senior year of high school? Oh, I’m sorry, this is about Carol Ann’s writing, isn’t it? I mean Karen Elaine’s writing…”

And now you know two more things about me:
* I am one of waaaaay too many kids, and
* My middle name is Elaine (it was my Nana’s name).

Okay, that’s three things.

11) Your family has the chance to describe you for an interview. What ten words would they say describe you best?

Determined
Meticulous
Smart
Sassy
Funny
Helpful
Know-it-all (Is that one word? That’s what my brother Matt would call me.)
Kind
Thoughtful
Motivated

12) You’ve invented a new national holiday. What is it called, and what does it celebrate? (Plus, would we get the day off from school and work??)

My holiday would be called Bookworm Day, and it would, predictably, celebrate the joy of having nothing to do but read. We would most definitely get the day off from school and work (which are both highly overrated), and the idea would be to plan your perfect book-centric day.

For me, that would mean starting out with a nice morning run or swim – or maybe both — where I’d think about whatever story I was writing at the time (I get some of my best ideas while running or swimming). Then I’d pack a picnic lunch and head out on the boat with my boys – my best friend Andrew, my son Ryan, and our dog, Harry. We’d each bring whatever can’t-put-it-down book we were reading at the time. Well, except for Harry. He’d probably just bring his favorite chew toy. We’d drop a couple of fishing lines in the water and then read while waiting for a nibble. In my experience, you can get a lot of reading done waiting for fish to bite.

Of course, everyone else would celebrate Bookworm Day in their own special equally-lazy way…and no one would want to go back to work or school the next day!

13) You’re going off your diet for one day and eating only food from restaurants. What do you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? (Include the restaurant each meal comes from.)

Well, first of all, I don’t believe in diets. That aside, this could be fun. I’m going to have to do a little driving for this one…

I’ll start off with eggs Florentine and potato pancakes at Claire’s Corner Copia in New Haven, CT.

For lunch, I’ll head home to Rhode Island for fried oysters and chow-dah on the salt pond at Matunuck Oyster Bar.

Dinner? Time to put on my skinny jeans and head for The Red Fez in Providence, where I’ll have their world-famous mac-and-cheese and a healthy helping of the local hipster scene.

14) What is your ultimate vacation destination?

Any place I can sink my toes in warm sand and swim in salt water.

15) The world has suffered from a one-day loss of power. You have no cell phone, computer, lights or anything else that requires a computer, cell battery, or electricity. What do you spend the day doing?

Easy – I spend the day reading! With a break for a good, long run on the beach, of course.

16) If you weren’t an author, what would you be doing?

Running a dive charter boat in a tropical climate somewhere. Might still do that.

17) You get the chance to star in an upcoming film release. What movie do you star in for your acting debut?

Isn’t there a movie coming out soon where Kristen Stewart gets to play Joan Jett? That would SO be me!

18) The paranormal genre is big in teen/YA literature right now. Most bestsellers feature vampires, werewolves, faeries, angels or the like as a main character. In your opinion, why are teens currently fascinated with all things paranormal?

I think the fascination with all things paranormal is simply part of human nature. I suspect for teens, especially, there’s an appeal to the idea that there is a secret world where the rules and laws of day-to-day life don’t apply. That was certainly the case when I was a teen, and maybe that’s especially the case now. Teens lead such high-tech, busy lives these days. I imagine the appeal of escape must be pretty strong.

19) You’re writing a book where you can change one major historical event. Which event do you change?

That’s a tough one. As I’m sure fans of my GHOST GIRLS BOOKS have figured out, I like the idea of changing history. Unfortunately, there are so many ugly, violent events in history, it’s hard to pick just one. Maybe I’d change how we write history, what we choose to focus on as significant and pass on from one generation to the next. Maybe I’d put more of a focus on the good that people do than on the evil. Pollyanna-ish? Sure. But I like those rose-colored glasses.

20) Remember those “classics” that you were made to read in high school English class? What was your favorite, and which title should students never have been subjected to reading?

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee was my favorite. I can’t even count how many more times I’ve read it since, and I get such meaning out of it each time. But BEOWULF? Really? What were they thinking making us read that?

21) Someone tells you that you’ll never publish another book that you write. Do you still keep writing?

Absolutely! I wrote for years while all I collected from agents and editors were rejection letters, so I’m familiar with that scenario. At some point I realized that my writing and publication are two separate things. Sure, it makes me happy to share my stories with people (otherwise it’s a bit like that riddle about a tree falling in the forest), but I don’t think I could stop writing if you paid me to. It’s compulsive!

22) A group of teens ask you the best way to become a published writer. How do you answer the question?

Practice your craft daily, and no matter what anyone tells you, believe in yourself. Be proactive. Join writers’ groups, send out query letters, enter contests. When you get rejection letters, decorate a box and save them in it. Know that every successful writer has a similar box…or file…or trash bin. Just never, ever give up!

**Thanks so much to Karen for visiting with us today! Be sure to visit her website listed above, or you can also find her on MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. Her email address, again, is karen@ghostgirlsbooks.com.

Karen has kindly offered to send two lucky posters a set of the first two GHOST GIRLS BOOKS, along with a dragonfly necklace like the one her main character, Paige Parker, wears in the books! So be sure to leave any comments or questions you have for her in the comments section - she'll be stopping by later today to see what we're discussing.